Protector for pipes



May 24, 1949.

L. GAZDIK 2,471,209

PROTECTOR FOR PIPES Filed April 18, 1944 Ina/ 72K021 Patented May 2 4;, 1949 UNITED STATES PATENT 2,471,209- PROTECTOR FOR PIBES Laszlo Gazdik, McKeesport, Pa. Application April 18, 1944, Serial No. 531,667

(Cl. l38 25.)

3 Claims. 1.

This invention relates to a spacer collar for pipes andhasfor its, object the provision of an extremely simple and inexpensive protector for pipes having at least one end upset or enlarged. The various novel features which characterize the. invention will be apparent from consideration of. the followingdetailed disclosure, the accompanying drawingsand the appended claims.

In the "drawings:

Figure l is an elevation showing a plurality of juxtaposed; pipes protected in accordance with the invention.

Figure 2 is a cross section of a pipe equipped with the preferred form of protector embodying the invention.

Figure 31s a detail plan view showing the-component parts of the protector.

Figure 4 is a cross section of Figure 3.

Figure 5 is a detail of a protector block of modified form.

Figure 6 is a View similar to Figure 2, illustrating a modification in which the protector is jointly formed of a plurality of segmental blocks.

Figure 7 is an elevation of Figure 6 with a portion broken away in the interest of clarity.

Figure 8 is a view similar to Figure 6 showing a further modification.

Figure 9 is an elevation of Figure 8, illustrating an alternative form of tie member.

Figure 10 is a View similar to Figure 9, illustrating a further modification of the tie member.

Figure 11 is a cross section of the device shown in Figure 10.

Wrought steel pipes much as those required in the drilling of oil wells and building of boiler plants and like equipment, are frequently formed with external enlargements or upset ends. For example, enlargements used on oil well drill pipes may amount to two inches over the outside diameter of the normal pipe body. Such pipes are commonly transferred in lifts or bundles by overhead cranes, as they are moved from station to station on a mill fioor or are transported to different points on freight cars. As the pipes are lifted by the crane, they array themselves within the cables of the crane sling in a bundle of approximately circular cross-section. The upset ends of the pipes frequently contact upset ends of juxtaposed pipes or the body portions of other pipe, Thus, as the load settles in the cables of .2: the crane sling, one or moreof the pipe lengths frequently bear the full lo'ad', ,with the result that there is sufiicient deflection in the pipe to cause a permanent set to take placefthus,producing distortedor crooked pipe which must be straightened before shipment to the customer.

I have invented means to avoid'damage to pipes of the type above mentioned. To this end, as an incident to the formation of the pipe at the start of the upsetting operation, I apply a protector which may take the various 'formsshown in the accompanying drawings, and 'said protector remains upon the pipe during the upsetting operationanduntil the pipe'arrives at its final destination.

The simplest, leastexpensive, and-therefore the preferred form ofthe invention, is that illustrated in Figures 1 to 4 inclusive. The protector there illustrated merely constitutes a multiplicity of wooden billets or elongated blocks I0 each having a groove or saw kerf l2 in the exterior surface thereof, there being a suflicient number of billets to substantially encircle or enclose a short length of the pipe near each end thereof. Flexible tie members, such as wires l4, are seated in the grooves l2 with the ends thereof twisted together as at [6, thus holding the protective sleeve formed jointly by the plurality of billets in proper assembled relation about the exterior of the pipe. In some cases staples l8, as indicated in Figures 3 and 4, will be driven into the sticks, to hold the tie wires in position prior to the assemblage about the pipe. As shown in Figure 5, it is contemplated that instead of grooving the exterior of the billets, in some cases holes 20 may be formed therein for reception of the tie wire as shown at M In the modification of Figures 6 and 7, instead of using substantially plain rectangular billets such as shown in Figure 2, I provide a plurality of substantially arcuate blocks 22, the inner arcuate faces 24 of which are of a radius to fit the particular pipe to which the protector is to be secured. Certain of the segmental blocks 22 may be provided with a recess 26 adapted to receive the twisted ends I6 of the tie wire, which are adapted to be bent down into the recess, as suggested in Figure 7.

In the modification of Figures 8 and 9, segmental blocks 28 are of arcuate form and are recessed on their exterior, as shown at 30 in Figure 9, to accommodate a wide metal tie strip 32 adapted to be helically wrapped around the several segmental blocks so that the ends 32 thereof pass one another, as also shown in Figure 9. In this modified form of tie member, prongs 34 are stamped out of the metal of the band and adapted to be driven into or otherwise embedded in the blocks.

Figures and 11 illustrate a construction much the same as that shown in Figures 6 and 8, except that the tie member 36 in this modification is a simple fiat band having a tongue 38 at one end adapted to be passed through an eye or perforation 40 at the opposite end and bent over in the manner shown so as to hold the segmental blocks in place. The blocks are preferably, although not necessarily, made of hard Wood, for the reason that mixed hard woods can be obtained more cheaply than soft woods. Oak, while usable for some purposes, is not as suitable as other wood, since it contains tannic acid which promotes corrosion when brought into contact with steel. It is also within the scope of the invention to use segmental blocks or billets made of synthetic substances such as hardened thermoplastic materials, pressed wood or the like, having a base of sawdust, shavings, and excelsior, with a suitable binder to give it toughness.

Various modifications may be resorted to without departure from the invention as defined in the appended claims.

I claim:

1. A bearing collar for a pipe length having an enlargement and serving to space juxtaposed lengths apart to prevent interference between their enlarged ends, said collar comprising a series of blocks extending longitudinally of a pipe length and disposed side by side around the circumference thereof, said blocks being recessed on the exterior from a point adjacent one end thereof to a point adjacent the other end, thereby leaving a raised shoulder at each end and a seeming band extending around said blocks between said shoulders.

2. In a method of protecting the enlarged ends of pipe from contact with each other when pipe lengths are handled in bundles by a sling, the steps including laying on each pipe length adjacent the enlarged end but inwardly thereof, a plurality of bearing members extending longitudinally of the length and covering substantially the entire circumference thereof and securing a tension bond about said members.

3. The combination with a pipe length including a barrel of uniform diameter and an enlarged muzzle at one end, of a spacer collar en-- circling the barrel adjacent said muzzle but disposed inwardly thereof, composed of a plurality of bearing blocks extending longitudinally of the length and disposed side-by-side around the circumference thereof and a tension bond about said blocks.

LASZLO GAZDIK.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 47,606 Slocum May 2, 1865 150,736 Whitney May 12, 1874 389,933 Mansfield Sept. 25, 1888 736,520 I-Ioltgen Aug. 18, 1903 892,146 Flora June 30, 1908 910,518 Felker Jan. 26, 1909 1,832,143 Sitton Nov. 17, 1931 2,061,366 Mazurie Nov. 17, 1936 2,229,811 Lockhart Jan. 28, 1941 FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date 21,705 Great Britain Oct. 10, 1904 118,868 Switzerland Feb. 1, 1927 

